where music teachers share real-world tips

Featured Content: New Releases and Bob Margolis’ The Stars Asleep, The Break of Day

It’s back-to-school time. To help, we’ve got some new large ensemble titles. This month we’ve added two titles for choir, five for concert band, three for string orchestra, and four for jazz ensemble (including Gordon Goodwin’s killer arrangement of Herbie Hancock’ Watermelon Man). View the complete list of new ensemble pieces.

We’ve also been adding repertoire to new SmartMusic (including Band Expressions, Books 1 and 2 and a host of new solos).

Then follow along in the score by clicking the fullscreen icon in the bottom right corner of the score window below. Change pages using arrows (on your keyboard or onscreen) and close the score by pressing the esc key. (Alternatively, you can click here to open the score in a new window.)

Program Notes from Composer Bob Margolis

The Stars Asleep, The Break of Day is my most instrumentally colorful Grade 1 work, and I believe in this area it breaks new ground. Furthermore, the musical content greatly exceeds “Grade 1” expectations. Beginning band students have something to study here that presents an opportunity for real musical development.

Band directors will notice immediately that the scoring does not look like Grade 1 music. (The music actually sounds like a Grade 3 work, but it is not.) The ranges and technical demands are truly only Grade 1, but the variety in the instrumentation is ample. Numerous cues and cross-cues allow less secure bands to rehearse or perform the work.

The flexibility of tempo in the first movement presents unique challenges in performance and teaching. The sparkling and dance-like second movement is cinematic in its instrumental colors and pacing, and will be fun to perform. Instrumental sections that are used to being buried in the mix will discover that their roles in band music can be significant.